


On This Life’s Rough Sea

by Mara



Category: HIStory3 - 圈套 | HIStory3: Trapped
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 05:56:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21453115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mara/pseuds/Mara
Summary: It’s not what you think it is. It’s also exactly what you think it is.
Relationships: Jack | Fang Liang Dian/Zhao Li An | Zhao Zi, Meng Shao Fei/Tang Yi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 80
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	On This Life’s Rough Sea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bonibaru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonibaru/gifts).

Meng Shaofei cursed under his breath as he stomped out of the police station. That damned Tang Yi was going to sue him _again_ and the captain was going to have a fit and there was _still_ not enough evidence to explain what had happened four years ago.

And something had happened on that rocky beach. Not just a gang shootout, no. Okay, a gang leader had ended up dead and so had a cop, with Tang Yi the only survivor, but there was something else going on, Meng Shaofei knew it! 

If only he could prove it. Ugh. 

Throwing his car into gear, he drove home to go through the files for the millionth time, looking for something he might have missed.

* * *

Zhao Zi tried to talk him out of it, but bright and early the next day, Meng Shaofei dragged his friend to the clothing store where he knew Tang Yi could be found. Something nefarious was definitely going on there but he’d never gotten permission to search it. 

Teeth grinding, Meng Shaofei peered through the window, covering his eyes to block out the glare of the sun halfway up in the sky. To his surprise, the door opened and a young woman looked out at them. “Please come in. The boss would like to speak with you.”

Zhao Zi stepped forward and Meng Shaofei grabbed him. “We can’t just…walk in!” He hissed in the kid’s ear. “He’s already sued me for stalking.”

“But we were invited,” Zhao Zi smiled brightly. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

Before Meng Shaofei could stop him, he’d walked through the door, leaving Meng Shaofei nothing to do except follow and hope to keep him out of trouble.

The clothing was all extremely expensive-looking and it was probably fashionable. Meng Shaofei held his head high and didn’t think about his battered jacket and worn jeans. His clothing was just fine for him. So there.

Tang Yi glanced up at them but was finishing a phone call. Trying not to look like he was eavesdropping, Meng Shaofei turned to push a few items around a rack.

When a leather jacket was suddenly draped over his shoulders, he didn’t jump, but he might possibly have made an embarrassing high-pitched squeal. Whirling, there was Tang Yi behind him, smirking. “This suits you better than those,” he said, looking him up and down.

Meng Shaofei reached to take it off. “I—"

“Leave it on.” Tang Yi grabbed his wrist in a grip that was stronger than expected. “It’s a gift.”

“I can’t take a gift from you!” Meng Shaofei gestured wildly with his other hand.

Tang Yi’s jaw visibly clenched. “A discount, then. Because I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold while following me around town.”

“No!”

A hand timidly tugged at his sleeve. “It does look good,” Zhao Zi said softly. 

Meng Shaofei gave him a look of disbelief and betrayal, but the kid just gave him puppy dog eyes in return. Meanwhile, the jacket settled on his shoulders and…damn it, he had to admit it was comfortable. And warm. And remarkably soft. “Fine,” he said sullenly, knowing he sounded like a child but unable to stop himself. “A discount.”

For an instant, Tang Yi’s expression was filled with…satisfaction? But by the time Meng Shaofei blinked, the other man was back to his usual impassive look. “Even if you don’t consider it a gift,” Tang Yi said, “I do. With all the rights and privileges.”

Which was possibly the weirdest thing Tang Yi had ever said. “Uh, okay.” Meng Shaofei shivered and tried to back up, but tripped over Zhao Zi, who was staring at Tang Yi, eyes wide and startled. They executed a series of maneuvers to stay upright (barely) and Meng Shaofei refused to look at Tang Yi and Jack, who would be smirking at them.

It took them a few minutes to get out of the store as Meng Shaofei insisted on paying for the jacket. Even with the discount it was significantly more than he usually spent on anything but to refuse at this point would be even more disgraceful and he wouldn’t allow that in front of Tang Yi.

Tang Yi, of course, seemed to know every thought that was going through his head and had the tiniest of smiles on his face as he sat on the sofa and drank tea brought to him by his weird minion, Jack.

Meng Shaofei fully intended to take the new jacket off as soon as they left the store and put on his old one. But as he reached for the zipper, the soft leather under his hands was so mesmerizing that he found himself stroking the surface instead.

Shoving his hands in the pockets in disgust, Meng Shaofei led Zhao Zi away and back to the station. Time to do some work on another case to keep the captain happy.

* * *

A gigantic stack of filed reports later and Meng Shaofei decided it was time to check in on Tang Yi. It wasn’t until he was in his car and driving away that he realized he was wearing the new jacket, which was going to make Tang Yi insufferably smug. Smacking his steering wheel, he drove on toward the teahouse he knew the other man favored.

It was a cinch to barrel his way past the waitstaff and Tang Yi’s waved hand pulled back the guards around him to allow Meng Shaofei to sit opposite him.

“How can I help you, officer?” Tang Yi asked, his sarcasm so pointed that it should have made holes in the table.

“You could answer the questions I’ve been asking for four years.”

Tang Yi closed his eyes for a moment. “There’s nothing more I can tell you.”

Behind him, Jack shifted in place, drawing Meng Shaofei’s attention. “What about you?”

Jack blinked, all innocence, pointing at his chest. “Who me?” 

“Do you know anything? Why do you work for this gangster anyway?”

Jack’s smile seemed impossibly broad and his teeth just a bit sharper than one might expect. “That’s a rude question.”

“I’m a rude person.”

“I know,” Tang Yi muttered as he rubbed his forehead.

Meng Shaofei leaned back in his seat.

“Too bad you didn’t bring your little friend with you,” Jack said with his toothy smile. “He’s always a pleasure to have around. He seems to bring you such good lu—” 

“Jack. Enough.” Tang Yi’s hand slashed through the air.

With a small bow, Jack took a step back.

“Meng Shaofei.” Tang Yi took a breath, seemingly reconsidering what he was about to say. “You’ve chased this problem for four years and made no progress. What do you want?”

“I want to _know_.”

“What happened to your mentor?”

“Among other things.” Meng Shaofei struggled to not cross his arms in a defensive posture. “I want to bring the murderers to justice.”

“You’re out of your depth. You can’t solve this.”

“So you _do_ know what happened!” Meng Shaofei leaned forward, triumphantly pointing a finger.

Tang Yi sighed, looking tired. “I’ve helped you as much as I can.”

“You haven’t helped me at all!” Scowling, Meng Shaofei crossed his arms.

Tang Yi just shook his head. “Go home.”

“The hell I will.”

“We’re done.” Tang Yi stood, stalking out of the shop. Jack trailed behind him, giving Meng Shaofei an enigmatic look.

* * *

Tang Yi took the unexpected step of choosing a new teahouse and it took Meng Shaofei a week to find him. But there they were again, facing off over tea, stomping out of the place and into Tang Yi’s car, since for once Jack wasn’t there to run interference.

The attack on Tang Yi’s car was also unexpected. The two of them might have escaped, however, had there been fewer attackers. But that was then and this was them handcuffed to each other in an SUV being taken to who-knows-where.

Tang Yi’s plan, communicated via a few eye and hand twitches, was terrible. Meng Shaofei approved, as it was just the sort of plan he might have come up with. In the close confines of the vehicle, they fought for their lives.

In an instant, Meng Shaofei saw the knife heading toward Tang Yi and that was unacceptable. With a shout and a lunge, he turned it aside and then they were out the car’s door and running up a mountain.

They crouched behind the rock, trying to catch their breath, and hoping one of them would have an idea that wasn’t “run and keep running.”

Now that he had a moment to think, Meng Shaofei grabbed for his sleeve and glared at it. “What the hell did that asshole do?”

“He tried to stab me,” Tang Yi said.

“I know _that_! I mean how is there not a slice halfway to the bone? I felt the knife hit my arm!”

“Clearly you’re mistaken.” Tang Yi wasn’t looking at him.

“I’m not—”

“Shhh!”

They both held their breath as their pursuers ran by, making enough noise to warn the entire country they were coming.

“Stop arguing about imaginary injuries and _run_,” Tang Yi growled.

They spent that night in a burnt-out building at the top of the mountain. As Meng Shaofei lay on the pallet, he pulled the jacket around him tighter and was surprised at how warm he felt. His fire must have been better than he thought.

Glancing at Tang Yi, the other man was watching him, his face shadowed and unreadable in the firelight. “Comfy?” Tang Yi asked with considerable sarcasm.

“Yes, as a matter of fact.”

Tang Yi didn’t reply, going back to staring into the fire.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“No.”

The word fell like a hammer and even irrepressible Meng Shaofei took the hint, closed his mouth, and went to sleep.

* * *

They made it off the mountain and back to their normal lives. Meng Shaofei turned up to annoy Tang Yi. Tang Yi ignored him and went on…doing whatever it was gangsters did when they weren’t gangstering.

Somehow it was getting harder to remember that they were on opposite sides. Meng Shaofei saw Tang Yi’s temper but he also saw that he wasn’t involved in drugs. In fact, he might possibly hate the drug dealers almost as much as Meng Shaofei.

It was a terrible idea, but Meng Shaofei was starting to _like_ Tang Yi. Starting to look forward to verbal sparring with him, even if Meng Shaofei always found himself on the losing end. There was an odd satisfaction in making Tang Yi smile, even that tiny almost imperceptible smile.

And then Tang Yi’s sister (Foster sister? Whatever.) dragged Meng Shaofei out on the world’s most ridiculous shopping trip. Zuo Hong Ye had some kind of agenda, but it was unclear what it was, unless perhaps she planned to bore him to death. He still wasn’t sure why he’d even agreed to accompany her but he’d been outmaneuvered by someone.

In any case, as they were leaving the shopping center, Meng Shaofei texted Tang Yi to let them know they were nearly ready to be picked up. After receiving an “on our way” message, he led her toward the exit, juggling bags of unmentionables.

Only a few steps outside the door, something caught his eye and he turned in time to see a gun. In an automatic move, he yanked her out of the way and down to the ground. It felt like something hit his shoulder but by the time they were behind a large ceramic planter, Meng Shaofei couldn’t find any sign of an injury.

Gun out, he tried to figure out if there was only one assailant. Just as he ducked his head up over the planter, he saw a car screech into the parking lot and Tang Yi and Jack leapt out, clearly seeing something Meng Shaofei couldn’t from his vantage point.

A quick assessment of Zuo Hong Ye found no apparent injuries, although she was almost hyperventilating in fear. “Tang Yi is here. You’re going to be fine,” Meng Shaofei said. Very carefully, he peered around the planter.

There was Tang Yi, safe and sound and looking enormously cool in his suit. Next to him, helping to cover their position was, inevitably, Jack in his less formal clothing. And a tail. Meng Shaofei blinked and rubbed his eyes. But it was still there. Sticking out from under Jack’s jacket, that was a tail. Jack had a tail. A TAIL. 

Jack glanced behind them to check on Meng Shaofei and Zuo Hong Ye. When he saw Meng Shaofei looking, Jack winked and the tail disappeared.

Fortunately, reinforcements arrived at that point, because Meng Shaofei was incapable of any useful action. He allowed himself to be bundled into the car along with Tang Yi and Jack and driven away, only protesting twice about calling the police to handle the shooter. 

Tang Yi was too busy comforting his sobbing sister to pay much attention and Jack just smiled slightly creepily

Meng Shaofei stared at Jack until they arrived at some kind of gangster safe house and were ushered inside. Various other people were milling angrily around the space, including (inexplicably) Zhao Zi. Tang Yi handed his sister over to the guy she’d been snubbing this morning and hustled over to check on Meng Shaofei. “Are you okay?” he demanded.

Meng Shaofei nodded once but found he was far past his limit. Grabbing Tang Yi’s arm, he dragged him away from main room and the crowds. Jack and Zhao Zi looked at each other and followed.

Stomping past several open doors with more people, Meng Shaofei finally found an empty room and dragged Tang Yi inside, followed by the other two. 

Slamming the door shut, Meng Shaofei pointed at Jack and said with (he thought pardonable) hysteria, “Tail!”

“Excuse me?” Tang Yi asked, an eyebrow raised as he gingerly sat down on a slightly ratty sofa against the far wall, trying to avoid some of the more obvious stains.

Swallowing, Meng Shaofei tried again. “He has a tail.”

Lips quirked, Tang Yi chuckled. “You’ve been working too hard.”

“It was definitely a tail. Is he some kind of dog?”

Jack’s eyes widened in horror as Zhao Zi, hands over his mouth, made an indescribable sound.

“Jack is definitely not a dog.”

“Boss, can I—”

“Oh, I think you’ve done more than enough.” Tang Yi didn’t turn to look at Jack, but his tone was cold.

“Tang Yi?”

Everyone turned to look at Zhao Zi. Tang Yi nodded after a moment. “Yes, little brother?”

“Isn’t it time to tell him?”

To Meng Shaofei’s shock, Tang Yi looked _rattled_ at that strange statement. What in the world…?

With a careful breath, Tang Yi recovered his usual calm and tilted his head at Zhao Zi. “Is that an order from the king?”

“Oh no no!” Zhao Zi waved his hands. “He’s not involved at all.”

“Thank heavens for small favors,” Tang Yi muttered.

“My father’s much too busy for this matter. Besides I’m his youngest son by several centuries. But I trust Meng Shaofei. Don’t you?”

Jack, who was leaning against the wall by Tang Yi, gave Zhao Zi a look of utter fascination. “You didn’t tell me he was a son of the Azure Dragon.”

Tang Yi shrugged. “I didn’t want to encourage or discourage you in your pursuit.”

“Hmm.” Jack grinned at Zhao Zi. “I do like a challenge.”

“Fine,” Tang Yi said with a sigh. “Get out.”

Jack held out an arm to Zhao Zi, his head sprouting brown-red ears and a matching tail appearing under his jacket again. Zhao Zi blushed and took Jack’s arm, the red of his cheeks shading into blue-green scales that ran along a body that seemed much longer than before.

Meng Shaofei stared as the door closed behind them, his jaw hanging low enough to get dirty from the floor. A huli jing? And Zhao Zi a dragon? Impossible.

Tang Yi cleared his throat and when Meng Shaofei turned, he was almost more shocked by the smile on Tang Yi’s face. Not a smirk, not a polite social smile, not a smile hiding a snarl. A true smile.

“What…that…” Meng Shaofei closed his mouth.

“I can explain,” Tang Yi said, “but you’ll have to give me your jacket.”

Meng Shaofei didn’t understand but he automatically drew the warm leather closer around him. “No, it’s mine. No takebacks.”

Surprisingly, Tang Yi’s smile got even wider. “I swear I’ll give it back.”

Meng Shaofei took a breath and slipped his arms out of the sleeves, handing it to Tang Yi.

Tang Yi looked at the jacket, his expression changing to something like distaste and sadness. “I’m a shapeshifter,” he said suddenly.

“Sorry?”

“I can change into the shape of a seal.”

Meng Shaofei stared at him.

“Well, I’m part shapeshifter, part human.”

Tang Yi paused and Meng Shaofei tried to figure out how to respond. “Oh?” he choked out.

“This…” Tang Yi stared at the jacket. “Have you heard a European legend about a creature called a selkie?”

“No.”

“That would be too easy, I suppose. Selkies are seal/human shapeshifters who can only transform so long as they have their seal skin. In the European legends, someone steals the selkie’s skin to force him or her to stay on land.”

“You’re a…selkie?”

“Not exactly, but close enough.” Tang Yi sighed, his eyes distant. “Master Tang was…like me. He took me in and taught me about my heritage.”

“And Lizhen?”

“Human, as far as I know.” Tang Yi closed his eyes and took a breath. “I believe Master Tang was killed for his skin. I don’t know why she was there.”

Meng Shaofei scowled, but didn’t have a reason to disbelieve _that_ of all the things Tang Yi was saying.

“I learned about being a selkie, but I never wanted that life. Never wanted the sea the way full-bloods do. I never even knew my parents.”

Meng Shaofei watched Tang Yi’s face, which was suddenly full of emotion.

“I rejected shapeshifting. But as long as I possessed my skin, a more powerful selkie could use it to control me.”

“So, what did you do?”

Tang Yi looked him in the eyes. “I gave my skin to the one uncorruptible person I know. The only person I knew would never use it for personal gain or to hurt me.”

Meng Shaofei tore his gaze away from Tang Yi’s, looking down at the leather jacket Tang Yi held. No. No. This wasn’t possible. This was all some elaborate trick to make fun of him.

Tang Yi’s smile turned sharp and he tossed the jacket over his shoulders. As it fell, it expanded, covering more and more of him, until he’d been eaten up by it. For a long moment, a seal lay on the ground in front of Meng Shaofei.

And then the seal stretched and Tang Yi was once again seated on the couch, an impossibly beautiful man in a very expensive suit holding a leather jacket out toward Meng Shaofei.

Meng Shaofei took a step back.

“It won’t turn you into a seal, asshole.” Tang Yi’s tone was sharp but his body language was hurt as he curled in on himself. 

Meng Shaofei couldn’t help it, reaching out to snatch the jacket back, feeling better when he had put it on. “Does it do anything else?”

“It protects you from certain magical creatures and spells.” Tang Yi hesitated for an instant. “It provides some protection from knives and bullets. Like a bulletproof vest, except better.”

Well, that explained several things that had been puzzling him for a while. Then he smiled broadly at Tang Yi. “So if I put it on a witness—”

“Only for you.”

Tilting his head, Meng Shaofei asked, “Why only me?”

“It was a gift to you, which allowed me to pass on the magic.” He started to say something else.

“What?”

“AnditonlyworksontheoneIlove.” Tang Yi’s face went slowly red.

Meng Shaofei took a step closer. And another. And another. Tang Yi stood automatically to face him, his face still red and his expression grim.

Raising a hand, Meng Shaofei stroked Tang Yi’s cheek. “I love you, too,” he said with a grin.

\--end—

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I played fast and loose with the mythology to suit the characters. Let’s just assume that Asian selkies are different and leave it at that.


End file.
